Automatic mine trap door



Jan. 30, 1940. E. TUCKER 2,188,694

AUTOMATIC MINE T-RAP DOOR Filed Oct. 17, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 k. M. :QQ w hv. MM N BN NN Jan. 30, 1940. E. L. TUCKER AUTOMATIC MINE TRAP-DOOR Filed oct. 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Jan. 30, 1940. E, 1 TUCKER 23889694.

AUTOMATIC MINE TRAP DOOR Filed Oct. 17, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS M A A l. 4 1 ,4. A

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Patented Jan. 30, 1940 'STATES PATENT *GFFIQE f y M-AU'roMA'rlo MINE TRAP Doon arnest Tucker, Coalburg, W. Va. c y I v Application October 17, `'11938, Serial No. 235550Z' f claims. (c1. .2o-16) Y-ihe invention relatesto an automatically' closing-gravity acting Vdoorv and more especially to 'trapdoors for mines orfthe like. f "l The primary-object of the invention is the provision of 'a door of this character',` ywherein n `thus 'eliminating manual labor lfor the closing of l such'door. I c c Another object of the invention is the provision of a door of this character, wherein the construction thereof is novel and is susceptible of adjustment to assume'the proper working?thereofffory the automatic closing of the sameand alsotol properly t a doorway fo'rthe closing thereof.

f A further object of the invention is the `pro- "vision of a door ofthis character, which is comparatively simple in its construction, thoroughly f 'reliable and efcient in operation, automatically [pointed out in the claims hereunto'appended.

I 4In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevationpartly in vertical section showing the door vconstructed in' accordance with the invention. l

.Figure 2 'isza horizontal sectional vview thereof showing by full lines the door in a closed position and by dotted lines the said door swung to reverse open positions. f Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. v

Figure 5 is a sectional View on the line 5--5 of Figure l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in thel drawings. y Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates generally the gravity acting self-closing door and B a doorway creating an entrance or opening to a mine or the like; 'I'his ydoorway B tively.

involves in association therewith a sill area having 'boards I!) and a header involving roong 'boards AIl, respectively. while l2 and I3 denote the reversely 'inclined upstanding side members -of the door frame, being extended upwardly from the sill -line to theheader orroofing line, respec- Arranged at thefoundation areaisa track involving rails, portions thereof being indicated at 'I4 for a mine car (not shown), which is adapted in its travel to pass into and without the mine through the doorway B as is customary, theltrack jbeing counterseated to have the treads of the rails flush with the upper surface of the sill area Ias will be apparent fromFigure l of the drawings. The arrangement of the track issuch las to minimize crevices at the 'sill or foundation line to `assure aclo'sing ofthe door A tov avoid leakage .of air at such point.

The door A comprises la" frame ljsupporting 'outwardlybulged major and atminor facings iii andi?, respectively, at opposite sides, these beingniade fast and made from continuous metal sheeting bolt-'ed vor-otlfierwise secured to the frame i5 whiledisposed at the merger ofthe facing it with the facing il and outside the sheeting constituting the same isa pivot being inclined to the'verticaland `includes 'upper and lower relatively adjustable substantially U-shaped parts lit andll, respectively, the part i8 being inverted with relation to the part l@ and is telescopically intertted with the latter. Transverse fasteners 2li are passed through holes 2l .therefor provided in 'said parts l 8 and i9' and also through the door `A,.tloese `fasteners 26 being selectively tted in the holes 2| to allow of adjustment of the parts i8 and 'i9 with respect to each other according to v Vthe' .requiredl extent ofthe pivot in association withthe door. The outer closed ends of the parts i3 and i9 are formed with pivot lugs 22 turnable in pivot bearings 23 and 24, respectively, the latter being formed with a shift plate 25 movably fitted with the sill of the door frame and sldably held by fasteners 25 while coaoting with this plate 25 is an adjusting device 21 ltoregulate the throw of the bearing 24 for alteringthe inclination of the pivot for the door. 'The bearing 23 is acljustably held at the j-header or roofing Il.

Secured tothe bottom edge and opposite end edges of the door A are wiper acting flexible closure strips 28 which extend throughout said edges, being fastened in place in any suitable manner, while working in a guideway 29 in the upper edge of said door A is a self-adjusting carrier 3U prox vided with wiper acting iiexible closure stripping 3l. This carrier is supported for rocking movement on a transversely arranged pivot v32 tting the part I8 and passed horizontally through the sheeting of the door A. This carrier accommodates the stripping 3l to the roof or header of the door frame B and due to the swing of the door A the said carrier30 coactswith a cam 33 `on which rides a roller 34 fitting said carrier so that when the `door A through gravity action automatioally closes there will be no interference of the stripping 3l with the door frame B while the exible strips 23 and 3l will effect a practically air-tight seal marginally of the door A by contact with the door frame B when the said door A has become completely closed. The angular disposition of the pivot `Arranged at opposite sides and at the proper `points with-relation to the door frame B are posts 35, these being vertically disposed in the path of movement of the door A and function as stops for limiting the opening movements of said door to either side of the doorway.

Built with the door frame B is an auxiliary door frame 35 with which is associated a swinging door The hinge 38, for the door 31 is inclined laterally to the vertical with relation to the main door frame so that the said door 31 when man- `uaily swung open through gravity will swing This door affords an ento closing position. trance for workmen and also an exit and thus in this manner eliminating the necessity of the opening of the door A which overrides the trackage constituted by the rails l 4. The bulged major portions 'iii of lthis door is so disposed with respect to the trackage that the car traveling thereon -on contact with the bulged major portions will force the door to an open position for the free passage of the said car through the door frame B into or from the mine or the like while the pivotal mounting of this door A assures the automatic closing of the door through gravity action. When the door A is in a closedposition inthe door frame, leakage of air therethrough 'is avoided, this being [effected by the flexible to an-d will automatically operate through graviy ty for the closing thereof. o

The hat facings l1 are separably bolted in placeand this minor portion of the door lby alvfor the 'A door` A to the vertical assures a positive gravity .closure member.-

teration of l its framing can bel dispensed with where the haulage way is narrow and thus accommodating the door to 4a door frame in conformity with such narrowhaulage Way. j

The door, by reason of its construction, is pos-` sessed of maximum strength and there is no v liability of the car on the trackage getting caught With the door to interfere With-the operationy of either of the same.

The door frame 36 .at the hinged edge of the rdoor 31 is `equipped with a stop 4l limiting the opening movementof said door. p

., What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a door'frame a door 1 3 terfltted with'the door at its topfedge and swing- .ingly supported, Q;- f

`2. The combination of `a door frame, a door movable throughsaidfdoor framev from closedl to vopened position, a pivot inclined to the ver- I tical withinsaid doorframe and movably supporting the door for gravitation thereof to closed position, means associated with said pivot yfor varying the disposition thereof for increasing or decreasingl gravity action of the ,doonilexible closures carried at the bottom and side edges of Athe door, a self-adjusting flexible closure mem-.

ber intertted with the door at its top edge and.

swingingly supported, a cam xedly arranged l with the door-frame, and means on the closure member at the top edge ofthe door'and coactive With said cam for regulatingv movement to said 3. The combination 'of' a door movable thrcugh'said door frame from closed` to within said door frame and movabyly supporting the door for gravitation thereof to closed posi-4 frame, a door l `opened position, a pivotinclined to the vertical 1 tion, means associated with said Ypivot for varying g the dispositionvthereof forincreasing or decreas-l ing gravity actionof the door, flexible closures carried at the bottom and side edges of the door, a self-adjusting flexible closure member inter-` tted with thek door at its top edge and swingingly, supported, 'a cam l'ixedlyarranged with the door frame, means onthel closurejm'ernber at the to-p edge.` of the door and coactive with at one side ofthe pivot. i y

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